U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 37 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 22% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,708.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $37,684. College Scorecard.
CU Civil Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Civil Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses CU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $14,231 | $60,624 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $14,381 | $61,263 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $18,828 | $80,207 | 1.5 years |
| $75–110k | $26,915 | $114,658 | 2.1 years |
| $110k+ | $34,818 | $148,325 | 2.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (58% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Civil Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($94,960) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $54,350 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Civil Engineering at Colorado colleges
Every Colorado college we cover that reports Civil Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Boulder | $94,960 | $20,500 | $25,346 | 74% |
| 2 | Colorado School of Mines | $94,228 | $25,000 | $28,690 | 82% |
| 3 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | $92,224 | $38,460 | $11,900 | 46% |
| 4 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $88,001 | $25,480 | $21,279 | 67% |
1 more Colorado college offers Civil Engineering but has too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Civil Engineering graduates
Civil engineer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Environmental Engineers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at CU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CU
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 74% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,738
- Full cost breakdown · all 68 majors · overview
Related majors at CU
- Electrical Engineering$100,631
- Engineering—
- Environmental Engineering$82,020
- Mechanical Engineering$93,073
CU Civil Engineering questions
How much do CU Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn a median $94,960 four years after graduating and $73,033 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do CU Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of University of Colorado Boulder is $20,500, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is CU a good school for Civil Engineering in Colorado?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn $94,960 four years out, $1,734 above the median for the same major across 4 Colorado colleges ($93,226) and $9,863 above the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CU rank for Civil Engineering in Colorado?
Of 4 Colorado colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, University of Colorado Boulder ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $101,420 in Colorado and $100,840 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and environmental engineers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Colorado Boulder Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).